Jackets



Feb. 14, 1961 KQZOBARICH 2,971,199

JACKETS Filed Aug. 6, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Feb. 14, 1961 L. KOZOBARICH JACKETS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 6, 1958 INVENTOR. 400/5 KUZUB/JR/CH BY j W Feb. 14, 1961 KOZOBARICH JACKETS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 6, 1958 lllllliillllllil li INVENTOR.

LOU/S KOZOBFIR/CH Feb. 14, 1961 1.. KOZOBARICH JACKETS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 6, 1958 INVENTOR. LOU/5 KUZQB/Q/Q/CH Unite States Patentf' This invention relates to a jacket or garment construction, embodying improvements and novel features of a highly desirable nature. While for purpose of explanation the garment herein disclosed is shown as a jacket for outer wear, it should be understood that the invention may be applied to other forms of garments which by their nature may be readily adaptable and receptive of the new structural improvements constituting the present invention.

Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered limited to the particular form of garment herein disclosed as exemplary or typical, unless it is specifically so limited by the terminology of the claims appended hereto.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for adjusting the garment to the waist of the wearer, without the formation of unsightly laps or folds occurring at locations where the appearance of the garment as a whole would be depreciated.

Another object is to provide improved means in the garment construction preventing exposure of the wearers waist region when the arms are raised, as for example in reaching upwardly or forwardly.

A further object is to provide means in a garment construction assuring extreme freedom of arm movements while at the same time enhancing the appearance of the garment.

A further object is to provide for and then control the characteristics of certain laps and tucks which are provided in the interests of comfort to the wearer and to enhance the overall appearance of the garment on a wearer.

Another object is to provide means whereby an inner part of the garment at the waist portion may be detachably secured to a belt or trousers of the wearer, permitting the garment to be worn open but nevertheless limiting the extent to which the front panels may become displaced toward the hips of the wearer by reason of wind force or other disheveling causes.

The foregoing and such other objects as may hereafter become manifest, are attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the improved garment shown in normal position upon the body of a wearer.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front view showing the appearance of the garment when the arms of the wearer are extended overhead.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the garment under the conditions existing in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an inside viewof the garment as seen when spread upon a flat surface.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 2,971,199 Patented Feb. 14,

of Fig. 5, with the garment sleeves normally depending.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, on. a larger scale, showing the relationship of parts at the foot of Fig. 6 resulting from upraising the garment sleeves.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation, showing one side of the garment detachably secured to a trousers belt strap, when the garment is Worn open or unclasped at the front.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 1, wherein the arms of the wearer are normally depending.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the Fig. 9 structure, showing fabric thickness by means of single lines, in the interests of simplicity and clarity of disclosure.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10, showing the relationship of waistline parts resulting from contracting the garment to fit a minimum waist measurement.

Fig. 12 is a rear view of a trousers application for the adjustable waist construction featuring the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the character 15 indicates a generally wedge-shaped back panel having upper end portions 16 and 17 terminating at the shoulders, a lower edge portion 18 developedv to provide an outer waist band 29, and side edges 21 and 22 stitched vertically as usual to the front panels of the garment. The front panels are shown at 23 and 24 upon Fig. 1, and the side edges 25 and 26 thereof are stitched in the usual manner to the side edges of the back panel. Sleeves 27 and 28 are applied to the armholes at 29 and 30 in accordance with common practice, and are preferably lined for warmth and comfort.

A collar 31 may be attached to the upper ends of the front and rearpanels as is customary, and the forward upright edges 32, 33 of the front panels may be equipped with a slide fastener 34 or other appropriate means to close the front of the garment over the chest or body of the wearer. With the exception of Fig. 8, the drawing front views show the closed condition of the garment.

Referring to the inside view, Fig. 5, facing strips 36 and 37 may be provided for finishing the inner forward portions of the front panels, and these may be of the same material as the front panels, if desired. The facing strips have upper and lower extremities 38 and 39, stitched to the collar and to the waistband, respectively. The slide fastener elements preferably are applied to these facing strips, as shown, and the strips are stitched to the front panel forward edges at 40.

Spanning the garment at its lower edge is a relatively wide inner waist band 42. This inner waist band has opposite ends 44 and 46 secured by stitching 48 to the facing strips 36 and 37, leaving an opening or slit 50 through which may extend a narrow secondary tongue 52 which underlays a primary similar tongue 54 coinciding therewith. These tongues and their cooperating structures are duplicated at opposite sides of the garment, as Fig. 5 indicates.

Each tongue 54 has a base end stitched at 56 to the inner face of the inner waist band 42. The free end 60 of each tongue 54 has a detachable connector means, such as a buttonhole 58, whereby it may be anchored selectively to any one of a row of buttons 62, 64, 66, sewn to the facing strip inside the garment. The button row extends longitudinally in the direction of extension of the inner waist band.

As for the secondary tongues 52, each has a base end 68 stitched at 70 to the inside face of the outer waist band. The free end 72 of each secondary tongue 52 has a detachable connector means, such as a buttonhole 74 (corresponding to the buttonhole 5'8 of tongue 54), whereby the free end 72 may be detachably anchored to any one of the several buttons 62, 64, 66, in coinciding relawaist.

tionship to the overlying tongue 54. That is, the corresponding free ends 60 and 72 of the tongues 54 and 52, may be anchored to the same button, as shown at 62 of From the foregoing, and by reference to Fig. 11, it will 'be apparent that advancement of both tongues 52 and 54 to anchor them upon the outermost buttons 66, will result in the formation of folds or gathers shown at 76 and 78. Fold 76 is in the material of the outer waist band 20, whereas fold 78 is in the material of the inner waist band 42. This results in shortening both waist bands by equal amounts, for properly fitting the garment to the body of a wearer. Tongue 54 in each instance is made shorter than the tongue 52, so that the locations of their respective sewn anchorages at 56 and 70 are spaced apart along the length of the waist bands, thereby to avoid bringing the folds 76 and 78 into coincidence and causing localized bunching of the folds at one place along the waist portion of the garment. As was stated previously, the secondary tongue 52 obtains access to the several buttons 62, 64, 66, through a slit 50 or break in the line of stitching 48 which connects the inner waist band 42 to the facing strip at each side of the garment.

To ensure neat disposition of the outer waist band folds 76, an exterior flap 80 (Figs. 1 and 3) at opposite sides of the garment is stitched as at 82 to the outer face of the outer waist band 20, and each flap has a free end 84 provided with a buttonhole 86 or other detachable connector for anchoring to any one of several exterior buttons 88, 90, 92 (Figs. and 11), spaced in correspondency with the buttons 62, 64, 66 inside the garment. As Fig. 11 indicates, the flap 80 is advanced to the most remote button of the group 88, 90, 92, when the tongues 52 and 54 are advanced to the most remote button of the group 62, 64, 66. Buttons 88, 90, 92 are applied to the outer waist band exteriorly of the garment, and are disposed in a row extending lengthwise of the waist band.

It is desirable and helpful for a neat disposition of the folds 76, to furnish upright darts 94 and 96 in the garment front panels, extending from the outer waist band to the approximate location of pockets 98, the darts being located where the folds 76 will occur when the flaps 80 gather the material of the outer waist band, as at 76 of Fig. 11. The size or depth of a fold 76 will of course be greater or less, depending upon which button 88, 90, or 92 is used in anchoring the free end of a flap 80, to suit the individual wearer. In any case, the folds 76 will coincide with thedarts 94 or 96, to produce a neat disposition of the folds beneath the flaps.

In constructing the garment, the inner waist band 42 is preferably made somewhat shorter than the overall span at the lower edge of the garment, to ensure snug fitting of the inner waist band to the body of the wearer at the This results in a relatively loose fitting of the outer waist band to the body, so that when the wearers arms are upraised as in Figs. 3 and 4, the outer waist band 20 may freely move upwardly over the inner waist band 42, to avoid restricting the wearer in the use of his arms. The inner waist band firmly hugs the body of the wearer at his waist line, thereby protecting it against exposure to the weather, notwithstanding the tendency of the garment to shift upwardly as in Fig. 4.

The matter of providing for bodily protection and comfort as the arms are raised and lowered, requires special construction within the garment, described as follows. Referring to Figs. 5, 6, and 7, it will be noted that the inner waist band 42, in addition to having connection with the facing strips at 48--48, is suspended fromv the collar and shoulder portion of the garment by a liner 100 of fabric. The liner, as is customary, comprises a number of connected pieces joined along the several lines 102 to produce a single shaped panel. The liner is sewn or ously along the lines 104 and 106, and has connection .also with the margins of the armholes 29 and 30, and their sleeve linings. The upright lines 108 and 110 indicate a pleat affording lateral fullness across the back of the garment, to eliminate tension in the liner when the arms of the wearer are moved to outstretched positions.

An important feature of the liner 100 is the P ovision of a continuous drop-pleat 112, which extends along the full length of the inner waist band 42, and hangs between the band and the backpanel of the garment. The lower edge portion 114 of the liner is continuously stitched or otherwise secured to the lower marginal portion of waist band 42, as along the line 116, and extends upwardly to the upper margin 118 of the inner waist band where it is continuously stitched to the latter along the broken line 120. At the margin 118, the liner drops down hehind the waist band 42 to form the drop-pleat 112, and from the lower terminus 122 of said pleat the liner is then directed upwardly to the collar and the facing strips where it is secured as above explained.

It should be observed that the drop-pleat 112 permits the inner waist band 42 to have freedom of movement relative to the outer waist band 20, in the vertical direction, without imposing tension on the liner when the wearers arms are raised as indicated by Figs. 3 and 4. As these drawing views indicate, raising of the wearers arms elevates the outer waist band 20, while the inner waist band 42 remains in normal position about the waist of the wearer. Such relative dispositions of the waist band is compensated for in the drop-pleat 112. When the arms are returned to normal position, Fig. 2, the droppleat resumes its home position as shown by Fig. 5, intermediate the inner waist band and the back panel of the garment.

From the foregoing explanation, it will be understood that the wearers waist will have the benefit of protective cover at all times, whether the arms are upraised, for

wardly extended, or depending normally at the sides. While the drop-pleat provides adequate fullness in the liner in the vertical direction, it assumes a neat and comfortable fold between the inner waist band and the back panel of the garment whenever the arms are lowered to normal position. The liner is exposed to view interiorly of the garment, from the lower attachment line 116 to the extreme upper end of the garment at the collar connection 104.

In order to preclude the possibility of excessive sagging of the inner waist band 42 midway between its ends 44 and 46, the band may be secured to the liner along a medial line of stitching 126, which stitching may anchor the waist band 42 to the upright pleat 108, 110, and to the drop-pleat 112. The stitch line 126 preferably passes through the folds of the drop-pleat, to immobilize said pleat at the localized point or line 126. At all other locations, the drop-pleat 112 has unrestricted freedom to expand and contract in the vertical direction, as previously explained. The liner will of course stretch suffic ently along the vertical pleat 108-110, to permit relative movement of the waist bands 20 and 42 as indicated upon Figs. 3 and 4. As indicated upon Figs. 6 and 7, the 1nner face of the back panel may carry a partial lining piece 130. These views show also the drop-pleat 112 and the positions it assumes as the wearers arms are upraised and lowered.

Fig. 8 illustrates how the garment may be worn in openfront condition, while restricting the extent to which the front panels may become dislocated toward the sides and rear of the wearer. Here is shown one of the primary tongues 54 threaded through a forward belt strap 130 of the wearers trousers 132, prior to connection of the tongue to a button such as 62. By so anchoring the tongue to the trousers belt strap, the lower portion of the front panel is restrained against undesirable sidewise disposition, or excessive flapping toward the sides and rear of the wearer. The secondary tongue 52 need not be threaded through the belt strap to achieve the restraint desired.

aw its Fig. 12 shows the flap and button arrangement of Fig.

11 applied to the waist band of a pair of trousers. The flaps 134 correspond to flaps 80 of Figs. 3 and 11, and the buttons 136, 138 are provided to anchor the flaps at various locations upon the outer Waist band 140 to achieve proper fitting of the garment to thebody of the wearer. In all essential respects, the trousers construction at the waist band is similar to the double waist band construction as disclosed in connection with the jacket herein illustrated and described.

It is to be understood, in conclusion, that where buttons and buttonholes are suggested for use as separable fastening means, othercommonly known separable fasteners may be substituted therefor within the perview of the invention. The nature of the materials used in assembling the garment is subject to wide variation also. Various other modifications and changes may be resorted to, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: I

l. A garment comprising in combination, a back panel having upper, lower, and side edges, and a pair of front panels having upper, lower, and side edges, means securing the side edges of the back panel to one side edge of each front panel, leaving a remaining side edge of each front panel free at the front of the garment, means securing the upper edges of the front panels to the back panel at the shoulder portion of the garment, and a collar attached to all said panels at the upper edges thereof, sleeves secured to the back and front panels at the sides of the garment, an outer waist band secured marginally to the lower edges. of all the panels and extending completely around the back of the garment from the free side edge of one front panel to the free side edge of the other front panel, an inner waist band substantially coextensive in length with the outer waist band, and having opposite ends secured to the frontpanels near the free side edges thereof, said inner waist band being throughout its length spaced from the inside faces of the front and back panels, a liner having a transverse drop'pleat disposed within the space aforesaid, said liner having upper and lower ends fixed respectively to the collar and to the inner Waist band for suspending the inner Waist band inside the garment, the drop-pleat being flexible to extend and contract in correspondency with movements of the garment acting to elevate and lower the outer waistband relative to the inner waist band.

2. The garment as set forth in claim 1, wherein the combination includes, means for adjustably tightening the inner waist band about the body of a wearer, independently of any outer waist band tension.

3. The garment as set forth in claim 1, wherein the combination includes, means for selectively gathering the material of the inner Waist band, and means for selectively gathering the material of the outer waist band, to effect shortening of the effective length of said bands independently but by corresponding amounts.

4. A garment comprising in combination, a back panel having upper, lower, and opposite side edges, and a pair of front panels each having upper, lower, and side edges, means securing the side edges of the back panel to one side edge of each front panel, leaving a remaining side edge of each front panel free at the front of the garment, means securing the upper edges of the front panels to the back panel at the shoulder portion of the garment, and a collar attached to all said panels at the upper edges thereof, sleeves secured to the back and front panels at the sides of the garment, an outer waist band secured marginally to the lower edges of all the panels and extending around the back of the garment from the free side edge of one front panel to the free side edge of the other front panel to the free side edge of the other front panel, an inner waist band of lesser length than the outer waist band, spanning the garment from one free side edge of a front panel to the other, interiorly of the garment and in underlying relationship to the outer waist band, said inner waist band including opposite ends fixed to the front panels near the free side edges thereof, the inner waist band being throughout its length spaced from and unattached to the inside faces of the front and back panels, a liner having a transverse drop-pleat disposed within the space aforesaid, said liner having upper and lower ends fixed respectively to the collar and to the inner waist band for suspending the inner waist band inside the garment, the drop-pleat being flexible to extend and contract in correspondency with movements of the garment acting to elevate and lower the outer waist band relative to the inner waist band.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein the drop-pleat extends the full length of the inner waist band, and depends as a double fold into the open space between the inner waist band and the back panel of the garment.

6. A garment including a back panel and a pair of front panels joined at the sides of the garment, the front panels each having an upright free edge margin defining the front opening of the garment, and a lower edge on each panel, said garment comprising in combination, an outer waist band secured marginally to the lower edges of the panels and extending around the back of the garment from the free edge margin of one front panel to the free edge margin of the other front panel, exteriorly of the garment, an inner waist band spanning the garment between the free edge margins aforesaid, interiorly of the garment and in underlying relationship to the outer waist band, said'inner waist band having opposite ends stitched to the front panels near the free edge margins thereof, and having a slit near the stitching, a tongue having a free end slidably received by said slit, and a base end fixed to the inner face of the outer waist band, the free end of the tongue extending toward the free edge margin of a front panel and in parallelism with the outer waist band, a row of separable fastener elements fixed to the inner face of the front panel in alignment with the tongue, and between the free edge of said panel and the stitching at the inner waistband end, a cooperative separable fastener element on the free end of the tongue :for selective engagement with the fasteners of the row mentioned, to hold a gather in the outer waist band intermediate the ends of the tongue, 3. second tongue having a free end and a base end, the latter end secured to the inner waist band, with the tongues disposed in parallelism and the free ends thereof extending in a common direction toward the front panel free edge, a separable fastener on the free end of the second tongue for selective engagement with the separable fasteners of the row, the length of the second tongue being such as to hold a gather in the inner waist band when the tongue is fastened to one of the fasteners of the row of fasteners.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein each fastener element of the row is of a type simultaneously receptive of the fastener elements of both tongues.

8. In a garment of the class described including a pair of sleeves, a back and front panels and. an outer waist band, the combination of an inner waist band substantially coextensive with the outer waist band, means joining said waist bands at their respective opposite ends, a liner in the garment suspending the inner waist band, and a transverse drop-pleat in the liner affording relative movement of the outer waist band laterally of the inner waist band when the sleeves are elevated and lowered, said waist bands being disposed in overlying relationship when the sleeves are lowered with said drop-pleat being sandwiched therebetween.

9. In a garment of the class described including a pair of sleeves, a back and front panels and. an outer waist band, the combination of an inner waist band substantially coextensive with the outer waist band, means joining said waist bands at their respective opposite ends, a liner in the garment suspending the inner waist band, a trans- 6 Verse drop-pleat in the liner disposed intermediate said waist bands, affording relative movement of the outer waist band laterally of the inner waist band when the sleeves are elevated and lowered, said waist bands being disposed in overlying relationship when the sleeves are lowered with said drop-pleat being sandwiched therebetween, means for selectively adjusting the length of the inner waist band, and means for correspondingly adjusting the length of the outer waist band.

10. In a garment of the class described, including a back and front panels, an inner facing strip on each front panel defining an edge thereof, and an outer waist band having ends terminating at the facing strips, the combination of an inner waist band having opposite ends fixed to the front panels at the facing strips inside the garment, and an intermediate portion substantially free of attachment to the panels, a pair of adjustment tongues each having a base end and a free end, means fixing the base end of one tongue to the inner waist band, and means fixing the base end of the other tongue to the outer waist band interiorly of the garment, the points of fixation being spaced from a facing strip, and the free ends of the tongues being directed toward said facing strip with the tongues in substantial coinciding relationship, a row of separable fastener elements fixed to the facing strip in substantial alignment with the tongues, and a cooperative separable fastener element on the free end of each tongue, for selective engagement with a selected one of the fastener elements of the row.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10, wherein is included, a flap having a base end and a free end, and means securing the base end of the flap to the outer waist band exteriorly or" the garment, a row of separable fastener elements fixed to the outer waist band exteriorly of the garment, the individual fastener elements of the row last mentioned being spaced apart in correspondency with those of the row carried by the facing strip, and a cooperative separable fastener element on the free end of the flap, for selective engagement with the fastener elements of the row carried by the outer waist band.

12. The combination as set forth in claim 10, wherein the inner waist band is spaced from the outer waist band inside the garment, from one facing strip to the other, and a liner is provided suspending the inner waist band from end to end within the garment, the liner including a drop-pleat formed integrally with the liner and disposed within the space between the inner and outer waist bands, a flap having a base end and a free end, means securing the base end of the flap to the outer waist band exteriorly of the garment, a row of separable fastener elements fixed to the outer waist band exteriorly of the garment, the individual fastener elements of the row last mentioned being spaced apart in correspondency with those of the row carried by the facing strip, and a cooperative separable fastener element on the free end of the flap, for selective engagement with the fastener elements of the row carried by the outer waist band.

13. A garment including a back panel and a pair of front panels joined at the sides of the garment, the front panels each having an upright free edge margin defining the front opening of the garment, and a lower edge on each panel defining the length of the garment, and comprising in combination, an outer waist band secured marginally to the lower edges of the front and back panels, and extending around the back of the garment from the free edge margin of one front panel to the free edge margin of the other front panel, exteriorly of the garment, an outer flap having a free end and a base end, the base end being fixed upon the outer waist band near an end of the latter, and the free end including a separable fastener element, a row of cooperative separable fastener elements on the outer waist band for selective attachment to the fastener element of the flap, the fastener elements 7 being so spaced and related as to holda gather in the 75.,

waist band when the fasteners are engaged, an inner waist band spanning the garment from the free edge margin of one front panel to the free edge margin of the other front panel, interiorly of the garment and in underlying relationship to the outer waist band, said inner waist band including opposite ends stitched to the front panels near the free edge margins thereof, the stitching being interrupted to provide a tongue-receptive slit at an end of the inner waist band, a tongue having a free end slidably received by said slit, and a base end fixed to the inner face of the outer waist band, the free end of the tongue extending toward the free edge margin of a front panel and in parallelism with the outer waist band, a row of separable fastener elements in alignment with the tongue, and fixed to the'inner face of the front panel between the free edge thereof and the stitching of the inner waist band end, a cooperative separable fastener element on the free end of the tongue for selective engagement with the fasteners of the row last mentioned, to hold a gather in the outer waist band intermediate the ends of the tongue, a second tongue having a free end and a baseend, means securing the base end of the second tongue to the inner waist band, with the tongues disposed in overlapping relationship and the free ends extending in a common direction toward the row of separable fasteners last mentioned, a separable fastener'on the free end of the second tongue for engagement selectively with the separable fasteners of the row of fasteners, the length of the second tongue being such as to hold a gather in the inner waist band when said second tongue is detachably secured to a fastener of the row of fasteners mentioned, the separable fastener elements carried by both tongues being engageable jointly with a single separable fastener element of the row of fastener elements, to effect correspondency of the gathers in both waist bands.

14. The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein the base ends of the tongues, and the base end of the outer waist band flap, are fixed at their respective waist band locations in staggered relationship, to eliminate bunching of the gathers maintained thereby.

15. In a garment of the class described including a pair of sleeves and an outer waist band, the combination of an inner waist band substantially coextensive with the outer waist band, a liner in the garment suspending the inner waist band, a transverse drop-pleat in the liner disposed intermediate said waist bands, affording relative movement of the outer waist band laterally of the inner waist band when the sleeves are elevated and lowered, means for selectively adjusting the length of the inner waist band, means for correspondingly adjusting the length of the outer waist band, and means in the form of flaps exteriorly of the outer waist band, adjustable to maintain and cover folds of the outer waist band formed therein incident to adjusting of the length of said outer waist band.

16. In a garment of the class described, including a back andfront panels, and an outer waist band, the com bination of an inner waist band substantially coextensive with the outer waist band, said inner waist band having opposite ends fixed to the front panels, and an intermediate portion free of attachment to the panels, means for selectively adjusting the effective length of the inner waist band, and means for correspondingly adjusting the length of the 'outer waist band, the adjusting means for the waist bands having common points of fixation upon the front panels interiorly of the garment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,159,408 Siegel May 23, 1939 2,180,497 Barkin Nov. 21, 1939 2,292,348 Bailey Aug. 11, 1942 2,304,574 Kirschenbaum Dec. 8, 1942 2,535,224 Nachem a Dec. 26, 1950 

